Hafter having strained my eyes all night, the smell of morning dew reached my nose as I assimilated the various information that I had read. 

Sitting up from my uncomfortable position on the floor, I put the books on the shabby bed and sat on it.

‘Whew, things in this world are really different, culture-wise, history wise and even physics are either too advanced or to retrograde.’

From what I had learned, there were wars in this world but surprisingly they were mostly started by mortal people with no cultivation. 

But on the other hand, the ones that were started by cultivators didn’t just make new kingdoms appear but also new Empires.

Mixing both my newfound History and Geography knowledge together I now knew what this world looked like. 

Basically, this world had Two main continents each with ruling Empires, attached to those Empires were the Kingdoms that were ruled by ‘Dukes’ and these highborn nobles ruled over the semi-powerful immortals who in turn ruled the mortals. 

These cities where the mortals lived were called the warrant states and were ruled by powerful counts or vice-counts appointed by the Emperor.

In the Quian Empire, the rulers were the Quian clan and they were the ones that unified the warrant states a long time ago.

With Six Empires in total, the one bordering us is the Mio Empire and the one bordering the Mio Empire is the Che Empire. 

These big powerhouses were afraid of each other's and so they maintained a status quo where they wouldn't attack recklessly the borders making large-scale conflict very rare.

Out of all the knowledge I had gathered, the most useful was without a doubt the book about the Dao.

Basically, it instructed on the eight trigrams and sixty-four hexagrams and how those encompassed everything in the heavens and the earth.

I already knew of such things due to my interest in the Wuxia genre when I was a child, where I spent a large amount of time studying Taoism.

Even if both definitions of the Dao were similar, there were large differences as well, like in the Chinese Taoism the Dao/Tao is the path one takes to grasp everything into one big singularity, encompassing even life and death.

Here, however, the Dao is every possible subject that can be pondered upon, thus making a person able to use the Dao in cultivation and expand their horizons in their fields of study. 

For example, the Dao of fire, if one becomes enlightened enough in fire techniques one will acquire better power and control over said flames.

Back on earth, I had never fought nor was I a violent person. I always tried to be a nice person and throughout the years I thought that I had gained good karma. 

But it was all wrong, I was a spec of dust in the eight realms and the mentality here was very different from what I knew.

So hence the necessities of a modern world man such as myself and the necessities of this world's people clashed completely.

I had first marveled at the magical powers that the people were able to display, but I soon acknowledged that having such powers would eventually make me use them on other people just to survive.

Having pondered this much, I had a flash of inspiration more than a well-thought theory and mused to myself.

‘If the Dao is every subject that can be quantified, then doesn't that mean I can make a technology-related Dao?

The fire arts was a subject the previous Li was enlightened about, even if in a small amount, didn’t it mean that I, with such deep knowledge of technology would be the apter to thread this path?’

Testing my theory I closed my eyes and began pondering on what I had long ago learned in my childhood. 

Then after doing that, I began analyzing my inventions and how those affected the world and technology in general. 

And lastly, I contemplated the whole picture. My life as an inventor and pioneer on everything related to technology, how it changed my life and the lives of those around me.

‘Everything I had done over the years on earth, my hard work, in the end, it was all for the future generations. 

When I started the company I wasn’t married but deep down I knew would give away the whole of my empire to someone, someone I knew that would advance with my legacy towards the future.’

Heartbroken while remembering my daughter's face I realize that my senses are slowly coming back to me after interrupting my concentration. 

Opening my eyes I saw that it was night and hunger was permeating my stomach like a tinfoil sheet.

‘How long have I been meditating, for the effects of the pill to have partially worn off?’

Surprised by the changing weather I didn’t notice the shining notification in my right eye corner. 

Quickly opening the notification, what I see warms my heart while I whisper almost inaudibly.

 "Thank you for the strength kiddo."

New Dao Path Unlocked

Techno Dao

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Status changes:

Due to the newfound enlightenment in the Dao aspect of Technology, your potential has been unlocked.

Effects:

 All technology-related artifacts/treasures are now able to be used.

The more understanding of the Techno Dao the more control is gained on treasures/artifacts by the user.

Affinities unlocked:

Techno element (70%)

Status gains:

+4 intelligence; +5 Wisdom

Happy about the new Dao path and all that it represented, an incredible thought flashed through my mind.

‘Wait, so I can now use treasures and artifacts, and does a circuit based apparatus count as an artifact?

But more important, doesn't that mean I would be able to use treasures even before having a Foundation established?

And if that is so, could I have a spirit sense even now if I pondered on the matter?’

There were many unanswered questions, but If those thoughts were true, then I would have an unbelievable cheat where I could use things that wouldn't be possible in my current Qi Realm.

I would be just like a cheat character that unlocked powers before having the appropriate level.

Feeling thankful towards the Dao body and its remarkable abilities, I could only think about reaching spirit sense even before it was logically possible.

Still sitting on the floor, I tried to attune and at the same time understand what the spirit sense was through my previous Xianxia reading experiences.

‘Spirit sense is a part of my soul that leaves my body to search my surroundings. So it should be something like looking inside of me and then trying to expand that feeling towards the outside.’

********************

In the subsequent hours that followed my discovery, I could feel something inside of me, by trying to expand the feeling beyond my insides I was able to sense about 16 feet (5m) in all directions, but even if it was just a small amount, I was none the less ecstatic. 

Now aware that some time might have elapsed I carefully tried to sense my body for any stiffness due to immobility and found my limbs hard to move as if anchored to the very floor.

After doing some light exercises to unstiffen my body I check my status in a hurried manner. 

‘Damn was I really out for long, well whatever let’s just check the status.’

Status

Name: Li Xiao Nu/Mathew brown

Race: Human

Age: 17

Level: 19

Strenght: 53 Stamina: 55 Dexterity: 56 Wisdom: 59 Intelligence: 60 Charisma: 20 Fame: -16 Luck: N/A

Qi Realm: Qi condensation of the 9th realm

Special Body type: Dao Body of the 5 Major truths

Dao Understanding/s: Comprehension of the Fire Dao (0.05%);

Comprehension of the Techno Dao (64%);

Martial Techniques: Bronze Fist (Max); Bronze Chop (Max); Bronze kicks (Max); Half-Step Mirror Movement (Intermediate).

Qi Circulation Techniques: Low Qi fireball fist (Beginner).

Element Affinities: Water element (10%); Earth element (10%); Wood element (10%); Steel element (10%); Fire (27%); Techno element (70%).

Traits

Gambler

Heavy Drinker

Titles

The one who died covered in foolishness

Dao’s Chosen Champion.

Elated at my new attributes I realize that my Qi realm and level were still the same as before. Even so, I didn't let it get me down and thought about a location for testing my new powers. Pondering for a few minutes I reached the most obvious and safe conclusion.

'As I thought, the outskirts of the forest are the best place and if I search long enough I can find a private spot to train.'

Having concluded the planning for the training I head outside to the morning sun and I leisurely stroll to the stairs where I unhurriedly start my descent.

Halfway through I hear someone call me so I turn around and see a young boy in white robes. Noticing he was to far away for me to see his face clearly I put my guard up expecting him to be one of Yi Shiao Long's goons or someone of similar backing.

"...Brother...W-wait..."

Looking in surprise I realize the identity of the running person, he was the kid that took care of Yao's 'shack' while he was away from the sect.

Being one of the youngest outer disciples of the sect, the ten-year-old boy was winded by the time he came close to me, trembling muscles and sweat pouring down his forehead he said in a hurried manner.

"B-Brother...H-he...hasn't co-come back from his...trip."

Raising an eyebrow I ask inquisitively.

"Who hasn't come back, Yao Chen?"

Due to our obvious friendship, the boy knew that if something happened to Yao Chen he should come looking for the former Li.

"He hasn't come back from his trip to the a-azure mountain."

"What, he went to the azure mountain?"

"Y-yes Elder Brother Yao went there about a month ago while you were both fighting, I would have come sooner but he forbade me from contacting you, he was very adamant about it, but after knowing that the trip would only take two weeks at most I, of course, became preoccupied when by the third week he hadn't come back, so I hurriedly tried to contact you."

"W-What!?"

'Doesn't that mean I had been in meditation for almost a month?'

Kicking all surprised thoughts from my head I focused on what was infront of me.

Knowing that the boy wouldn't lie about such matters I took the situation to be real and dangerous.

If Yao needed my help I would help him, not due to the former Li's friendship with him but because I was indebted to him after I was injured.

"Where is his exact location right now, what path he took and what was he searching for in the forest?"

'Damn didn't Yao know that the Azure mountain was filled with protectors of both the Heavenly Fire Sect and the Yue Sect due to the Azure crystals?'